Prevalence of Atopic Dermatitis Criteria among Textile Workers with Occupational Allergic Contact Dermatitis and Effects of Having Atopic Dermatitis on Contact Antigenic Diversity

Betül Taş1, İlknur Kıvanç Altunay21Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul Bagcilar Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey2Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University of Health Sciences, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Teaching and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

Objectives: Contact dermatitis (CD) is one of the common skin diseases. Occupational contact dermatitis (OCD ) is the most common occupational skin disease which includes both occupational allergic contact dermatitis (OACD) and occupational irritant CD (OICD). One of the most frequent reasons of OACD is textile products. On the other hand, individuals with atopic dermatitis (AD) have an increased risk for development of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). However, the role of having AD in the etiopathogenesis of development of OACD among textile industry workers is little known. In presented study, determining of prevalence of AD among textile workers with OACD, and identifying contact antigenic diversity between the workers with and without AD were aimed.Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in 352 textile workers who had previously diagnosed with OACD, in our clinic. Subjects were questioned and examined about AD criteria, demographic features, disease duration, working duration to first symptoms, phototypes, work-places (sub-sectors), and location of lesions, in their controls. Immediate skin test reactivity of subjects was evaluated with a commercial skin prick test (SPT) panel. Obtained data and subjects previously recorded patch testing results were compared according to OACD groups who have and did not have the diagnosis of AD. Results was statistically evaluated as a p value <0.05 was significant.Results: Study population consisted of 124 males and 227 females. Mean age was 35.69±13.65. Most detected disease and working durations, phototype, sub-sector and location were 4-8 months (26.14%), 9-12 months (34.66%), Fitzpatrick type-III (37.50%), dyeing (33.52%) and solely hands (60.51%), respectively. One hundred-ninety three subjects (54.83%) had enough criteria for the diagnosis of AD. In OACD group with AD, having of 4 major and 16 minor criteria, and positivities for 14 contact allergens were found significantly higher.Conclusion: Most AD criteria or AD by itself may detected at high rates among persons with textile-OACD. In these patients, patch test allergens may exhibit significantly higher positivities, compare to others without AD. Textile workers with AD should be warned against the possibility of the early development of OACD.